Terminal contacting part included in a jig for charging and discharging a secondary battery and the jig including the same

ABSTRACT

A terminal contacting part includes in a jig for charging and discharging a secondary battery and a jig including the terminal contacting part. The terminal contacting part has a conductive unit for contacting an electrode terminal and conducting thereto and a pressing unit for pressing the electrode terminal for the conductive unit to be in tight contact with an electrode lead of a secondary battery. A compressing plate to be in contact with an electrode terminal includes a pad of dielectric-elastic material.

CROSS-REFERENCE(S) TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priorities of Korean Patent Application No.10-2010-0091462, filed on Sep. 17, 2010 and Korean Patent ApplicationNo. 10-2010-0099855, filed on Oct. 13, 2010 in the Korean IntellectualProperty Office, which are hereby incorporated by reference in theirentirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a terminal contacting part included ina jig for charging and discharging a secondary battery and the jigincluding the contacting part.

2. Description of the Related Art

In general, as a technology development and demands for a mobile deviceincrease, secondary battery demands as an energy source increaseabruptly. In a prior art, a Nickel-Cadmium battery or a hydrogen ionbattery as a secondary battery has been used; however, recently, alithium ion battery and a lithium polymer have been used Mainly.

Meanwhile, a secondary battery is fabricated by assembling cells andactivating the cells wherein in a step of activating the cells, cellsare loaded on a predetermined jig and charged on a condition foractivating the cells. Here, since prior secondary Nickel-Cadmium batteryand a lead acid battery can be used right after fabrications, a devicefor charging and discharging the prior Nickel-Cadmium battery and leadacid battery needs only to evaluate their performances. However, in acase of recently widely used lithium ion battery and lithium polymersecondary batteries, a predetermined charging and discharging processafter a fabricating, that is, an activating process has to be performedto serve as a battery and thus a charging and discharging device becomesan essential part for a secondary battery fabricating line of asecondary battery.

Here, the charging and discharging device serves to grant secondarybattery characteristics to a battery right after a secondary battery isfabricated among fabricating processes for storing electric energythrough repeated several charging and discharging processes.

As a secondary battery supply increases depending on an increased demandfor a secondary battery, many of charging and discharging devices forcharging and discharging a secondary battery during a fabricatingprocess need, and further the charging and discharging device becomes anessential part for evaluating battery characteristics of a fabricatedsecond battery.

FIG. 1 is a view illustrating a prior jig 100 for charging anddischarging a secondary battery. Generally, a jig for charging anddischarging a secondary battery is used for activating a fabricatedsecondary battery or testing a performance before a selling.

As shown in FIG. 1, the jig 100 for charging and discharging may includea plate-shaped member 20 for loading a battery and a plurality ofvertical through holes 24 for loosening a degradation of a battery whenthe battery is charged and discharged, and a terminal contacting part 40for connecting to a battery electrode terminal and fixing the batteryand allowing to apply electric current between a charging anddischarging device and a secondary battery.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating in detail the terminalcontacting part 40 included in a jig for charging and discharging andFIG. 3 is a side view illustrating the terminal contacting part.

As shown in FIG. 2, the terminal contacting part 40 included in a priorjig for charging and discharging a secondary battery may include anelectric conductive unit 44 to be in contact tightly with one side of anelectrode terminal, a compressing plate 43 made of conductive material,a main body 41 fixed on a plate-shaped member 20 and a pressing unit 42for moving the compressing plate 43 to push an upper end surface of areceived electrode terminal.

In general, by loading a secondary battery on the plate-shaped member 20of a jig 100 and moving downward the pressing unit 42 of the terminalcontacting part 40 for the compressing plate 43 to press downwardvertically an electrode terminal of a battery, the electrode terminal isin contact tightly with the conductive unit 44 of a jig. After that, byan operation of a charging and discharging device (not shown) connectedelectrically to the jig 100, the conductive unit 44 and the electrodeterminal are to be conducted and a charging and discharging areperformed.

The prior pressing unit 42 of a terminal contacting part is fabricatedusing a handle or a screw of a rotation manner; however, in a case wherethe compression plate 43 is to be in contact tightly with a battery tapor an electrode lead and fixed thereto by a pressing unit of a rotationmanner, it is not easy for the compressing plate to be in contacttightly with a battery tap or an electrode lead.

That is, in a case where an electrode lead is fixed using the pressingunit, since the compressing plate 43 is rotated and ascends by thepressing unit fabricated with a handle of a screw type, locations of anelectrode lead and a ground may be varied and further a part of a frontsurface of the compressing plate 43 arrives firstly at an electrode leaddue to a rotation manner of the pressing unit and thereby a contactingbetween a terminal contacting part and an electrode lead may be failedand as a result current may not be conductive smoothly and resistancemay increase or an electrode lead may be over-heated.

Further, load to be transferred to an entire area of the compressionplate 43 may be varied depending on a rotation extent of the pressingunit and a pressure for fixing a battery may be varied depending on auser. Accordingly, when a battery is evaluated, the evaluation resultsmay be varied depending on fixing extents among the compressing plate,electrode lead and lower conductive units, and a user, and therebydecreasing a reliability of a battery evaluation.

As described in the forgoing, in a case where a secondary battery isfixed to a jig for charging and discharging, and loads on both taps orleads are not same and contacting failure is occurred, resistance on thetap or lead may increase to produce heat and thereby delaying an exactevaluation of a battery performance or making the evaluation impossible,and further damaging the battery.

Accordingly, there exists a need for improving a configuration of theterminal contacting part to ensure a process reliability of charging anddischarging a secondary batter and to prevent a battery being damagedand to ensure a safety of a worker.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been proposed to solve the aforementioneddrawbacks, and an aspect of the present invention is directed to providea terminal contacting part included in a jig for charging anddischarging a secondary battery in which by improving a pressing mannerof a pressing unit, a pressing extent of a terminal contacting part toan electrode lead and a contacting extent of a terminal contacting partwith an electrode lead can be constant, regardless of a work conditionor a work environment.

Another aspect of the present invention is directed to provide aterminal contacting part through which a resistance of a compressingplate and degradation thereof can be minimized.

Another aspect of the present invention is directed to provide a jig forcharging and discharging a secondary battery, including the terminalcontacting part.

Another aspect of the present invention is directed to provide a methodof charging and discharging a secondary battery, using a jig forcharging and discharging a secondary battery.

In order to solve the drawbacks described in the forgoing, the presentinvention provide a terminal contacting part included in a jig forcharging and discharging a secondary battery, comprising: a conductiveunit for contacting an electrode terminal and conducting thereto; apressing unit for pressing the electrode terminal for the conductiveunit to be in contact tightly with an electrode lead of a secondarybattery; and a compressing plate which is included in the pressing unitand is in contact tightly with the electrode terminal and is providedwith a pad of dielectric-elastic material.

The pad of dielectric-resilient body may be formed on a lower surface ofthe compressing plate and may have a melting point of more than 100° C.

In more detail, the dielectric-resilient body may be made of oneselected from a group of nitrile butadiene rubber, fluoro rubber, HBR(High cis BR), Styrene Butadiene Rubber, Chloroprene Rubber, EthylenePropylene Terpolymers, EPDM (Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer, andsilicon rubber.

Further, an area of the compressing plate may be in a range of 75-125%of an area of an electrode terminal.

Furthermore, the dielectric-resilient body is formed to surround wholecompressing plate.

The terminal contacting part included in a jig for charging anddischarging a secondary battery may comprise: a conductive unit forcontacting an electrode terminal and conducting thereto; and a pressingunit for pressing the electrode terminal for the conductive unit to bein contact tightly with an electrode lead of a secondary battery whereinthe pressing unit may comprise a pressing bar for operating the pressingunit and a compressing plate to contact an electrode terminal, andfurther the pressing unit is configured in a clamp manner so that thepressing bar is operated for the compressing plate to descend verticallyto be in contact tightly with the electrode terminal in all area of thecompressing plate with a same pressure.

The pressing unit comprises a lifting unit for connecting the pressingbar and the compressing plate, and may be supported elastically upwardby an elastic member.

Further, the terminal contacting part may comprise a fixing device forfixing a contacting state of the electrode terminal of a secondarybattery and the conductive unit, which is formed through an operation ofthe pressing bar, and further the pressing bar is rotated around arotation axis disposed on a center thereof and the compressing plateconnected to the pressing bar is moved vertically up-down ward dependingon a rotation movement.

The terminal contacting part may comprise a contact-point device forconnecting the conductive unit and a charger and discharger, and thecompressing plate comprises an upper conductive unit of metal conductivemember at a lower surface thereof and the upper conductive unit isconnected to the contact-point device to be connected to the charger anddischarger.

In addition, a pressure of 40-60 kgf is applied on the compressing plateso that the compressing plate descends vertically to be in contact withan electrode terminal through an operation of the pressing bar, and apressure of 50 kgf is applied on the compressing plate so that thecompressing plate descends vertically to be in contact with an electrodelead through an operation of the pressing bar.

A jig for charging and discharging a secondary battery comprising theterminal contacting part may be further provided.

In a jig for charging and discharging, the terminal contacting part isdetachable to be applied to all of a secondary battery in which acathode terminal and an anode terminal are protruded to one directionand a secondary battery in which a cathode terminal and an anodeterminal are protrudes to opposite direction.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other aspects, features and advantages of certainexemplary embodiments of the present′ invention will be more apparentfrom the following description taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a prior jig for charging anddischarging;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged-perspective view illustrating a terminalcontacting part included in a jig for charging and discharging;

FIG. 3 is a side view illustrating a terminal contacting part accordingto FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a side view illustrating a terminal contacting part accordingto an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating an assembled terminalcontacting part according to another embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a terminalcontacting part according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a side view illustrating the terminal contacting part shown inFIG. 5 and an operation range of the terminal contacting part;

FIG. 8 is a side view illustrating a jig for charging and discharging,including the terminal contacting part shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view illustrating a jig for charging anddischarging, including the terminal contacting part shown in FIG. 5; and

FIG. 10 is a plain view illustrating a jig for charging and discharging,including the terminal contacting part and a charging and dischargingdevice.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described belowin detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Whereverpossible, the same reference numerals will be used to refer to the sameelements throughout the specification, and a duplicated descriptionthereof will be omitted. It will be understood that although the terms“first”, “second”; etc. are used herein to describe various elements,these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms areonly used to distinguish one element from another element.

First, the lower surfaces of a jig for charging and discharging asecondary battery and a terminal contacting part included in the jigaccording to an embodiment of the present invention to solve theaforementioned drawbacks may be made of elastic material.

In activating and testing a secondary battery through a jig 100 forcharging and discharging, an electrode terminal of a loaded battery hasto be in contact tightly with a conductive unit 44 of the jig. However,in a general jig 100 for charging and discharging the whole compressingplate 43 of the pressing unit 42 is formed with metal conductivematerial and thus does not contact properly the electrode terminal andleaves parts separated from the electrode terminal, and further acontacting extent between the electrode terminal and the lowerconductive unit is varied depending on a working condition of a worker.

As a result, a contacting area decreases or a contacting failure occursand thus a resistance on the electrode terminal increases and variesdepending on experimenter or experiment time and thereby not testingexactly a battery.

Accordingly, as show in FIG. 4, a terminal contacting part is providedin which the Whole compressing plate of a terminal contacting part maybe formed by resilient body of dielectric material or a pad 46 ofresilient body of dielectric material may be attached to a lower surfaceof the compressing plate and thereby pressing the electrode terminal forthe electrode terminal to be in contact tightly with a lower-conductiveunit 44 while Minimizing a contact resistance.

The pad of dielectric-elastic material is not specially limited and thusvarious elastic materials may be used and further the material may havehigher melting point than a temperature of heat produced on theelectrode terminal when a battery performance is tested.

Here, much heat is produced on the electrode terminal from a highresistance during a charging and discharging of a battery and at thistime in a case where the compressing plate is made of material having alower melting point than the heat temperature, a area to be contacted isto be melted and thus the battery test is not performed properly.

Accordingly, the pad of dielectric-elastic material may have a meltingpoint of 100° C. or more than and specially may be formed with oneselected from a group of nitrile butadiene rubber, fluoro rubber. HBR(High cis BR), Styrene Butadiene Rubber, Chloroprene Rubber, EthylenePropylene Terpolymers, EPDM, and silicon rubber, and further may beformed preferably with silicon rubber.

A lower surface area of the compressing plate or an area of the pad 46to be inserted therein is not specially defined and it does notnecessarily correspond to an electrode terminal area and thus it may belarger or smaller than a welding width of the electrode terminal 40.Here, the lower surface area of the compressing plate or the area of thepad may be within a range of 75-125% of an area of an electrodeterminal.

In a case where a lower surface area of a compressing plate is less than75% of an area of an electrode terminal, a contacting area between thecompressing plate and an electrode lead becomes too small and thus it isdifficult for the electrode terminal to be in contact tightly with alower conductive unit. On the contrary to this, in a case where thelower surface area of the compressing plate exceeds 125% of an area ofan electrode terminal to be formed largely, the lower surface area ofthe compressing plate is difficult to be in contact tightly with anelectrode terminal and thereby a portion of the compressing plate beingseparated from the electrode terminal.

In a case where a battery is charged and discharged using the jig 100for charging and discharging, including a terminal contacting partaccording to the present invention, a large amount current (specially,in a case of a middle-large cell) is conducted in a practical use, andthus the lower surface of the compressing plate may be formed preferablywith a dielectric material in terms of safety wherein the material hasto withstand heat produced on the electrode terminal and have at least100° C. of a melting point.

Meanwhile, in a terminal contacting part and a jig for charging anddischarging, including the terminal contacting part according to anembodiment of the present invention, a pressing unit may be formed in aclamp manner.

That is, the terminal contacting part may be shaped as a “

” in a vertical section to receive an electrode terminal of a batterycell and further may include a conductive unit to be in contact tightlywith a lower end surface of the electrode terminal, a main body fixed ona plate-shaped member on which a battery is loaded, and a pressing unitarranged on one side of the main body, for pressing an upper surface ofthe received electrode lead.

In more detail, the terminal contacting part may be configured in such amanner that same load is weighted on the whole area of the compressingplate connected to the pressing unit to be in contact tightlysimultaneously with all area of the electrode terminal and fixed.

The pressing unit operated in a clamp manner may not be limited to aspecial configuration as long as the pressing unit may compress evenlythe whole area of the compressing plate and further it may be in contactwith the electrode terminal through once operation.

As one specific example, the pressing unit operated in a clamp mannerand included in a terminal contacting part of the present invention mayinclude a pressing bar, a lifting bar, a compressing plate and anresilient body for supporting the pressing bar from the main body.

Here, a lifting unit including the lifting bar and a compressing platefor pressing the terminal contacting part to be in contact with anelectrode terminal may be connected to the pressing bar and further thepressing bar may ascend and descend with rotation around a rotation axisand thus the lifting bar and the compressing plate may be moved upwardand downward.

Further, the pressing bar may be connected to the main′ body by anresilient body on a connecting part of the lifting unit and thecompressing plate, based on a rotation axis to which the pressing bar isfixed and around which the pressing bar is rotated.

The resilient body may be connected to the pressing bar and the mainbody and may serve to support elastically upward the pressing bar. Here,the resilient body may be a coil spring or a plate spring; however; theresilient body may not be limited thereto, as long as the resilient bodymay support elastically the pressing means against the main body.

Meanwhile, the pressing bar connected to the main body through theresilient body as configured in the forgoing may be kept in an ascendingstate at a part connected to the resilient body based on a rotation axisby an ascending stress of the resilient body while the opposite part ofthe pressing bar based on the rotation axis is kept in a descendingstate comparing to a height of the rotation axis.

Accordingly, when a battery is not loaded on a terminal contacting part,the compressing plate may be always disposed at vertically ascendinglocation from a conductive unit and spaced at a predetermined interval,depending on an ascending stress of the elastic member. In order to loadand fix a battery to test a charging and discharging performance of thebattery, a part of the pressing unit opposite to a part thereofconnected to the resilient body based on a rotation axis is moved upwardfor the compressing plate to be moved downward and as a result anelectrode terminal and a compressing plate are in contact with eachother and further the pressing bar is fixed using a fixing means andthereby keeping a contacting state of the electrode terminal, and thecompressing plate and a conductive unit.

According to a terminal contacting part according to an embodiment ofthe present invention, the whole area of the compressing plate may be incontact with an electrode lead and further same weight is loaded on thewhole area of the compressing plate to be in contact with the electrodeterminal.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, the resilientbody may be disposed in such a manner that a part of the pressing unitopposite to a part to which a lifting unit is connected, based on arotation axis, is to be connected to the main body.

As the elastic means is connected to a location as described in theforgoing, a part of the pressing bar on which the resilient body isdisposed is kept in an ascending state around a rotation axis by anascending stress of the resilient body and as a result a part of thepressing unit to which the lifting unit is connected is kept in a stateof descending downward a rotation axis location.

Accordingly, even when a battery is not loaded, the compressing plateand the conductive unit are always in contact tightly with each otherdepending on ascending stress of the elastic member, and further when abattery is to be loaded, by pressing a part of the pressing bar to whichthe resilient body is connected and raising the compressing plate to beseparated from the conductive unit, and loading a battery and then andinserting an electrode terminal between the compressing plate and theconductive unit and releasing the pressed part of the pressing bar, thecompressing plate descends due to elastic force of the resilient body tobe in contact tightly with the electrode terminal to press the wholesurface of the electrode terminal with uniform load to be in contactuniformly with the conductive unit.

Furthermore, the terminal contacting part operated in a clamp manner mayfurther include a pad of dielectric-elastic material on a lower end ofthe pressing unit. High resistance produced on the electrode terminalwhen a battery is charged and discharged and degradation of theelectrode terminal caused from the high resistance may be loosenedthrough the configuration as described in the forgoing.

The terminal contacting part according to the present invention mayinclude, in addition to the pressing unit, a main body of apredetermined shape and base plate.

Here, the main body may be shaped as “

” in a vertical sectional view from a side surface (side wall), and thusan electrode terminal of a cell may be inserted laterally and easilybetween a compressing plate and a conductive unit and further a lowerend surface of the electrode terminal in an insertion state may be incontact stably with the conductive unit. At this time, the conductiveunit may be a thin plate-shaped conductive member attached to a lowersurface of the electrode terminal. The conductive unit may be connecteda charger and discharger to connect electrically with an electrodeterminal of a battery fixed to a corresponding terminal contacting partto charge and discharge the battery.

A battery cell to be activated using a jig for charging and dischargingaccording to the present invention may be a plate-shaped battery havinga large width, comparing to a thickness thereof, and specially may be apouch typed-battery cell in which an electrode assembly is housed in apouch typed-case of a laminated sheet including a resin layer and ametal layer.

According to the present invention, a terminal contacting part and a jigfor charging and discharging including the terminal contacting part maybe provided. Here, a charger and discharger to be connected thereto maybe further included in the jig. The charging and discharging device fora secondary battery may be used for charging and discharging stably andexactly a battery cell and for testing a battery through the terminalcontacting part. Meanwhile, the charger and discharger for constitutingthe charging and discharging device for a secondary battery is known ina prior art and thus detailed description thereof is omitted.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, in afabricating method of a secondary battery as an unit battery for amiddle-large battery module, using a charging and discharging device fora secondary battery, a method of charging and discharging a secondarybattery for activating the second battery or testing a secondary batteryperformance may be provided.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will bedescribed with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should beunderstood that the configurations may be replaced by variousmodifications and the scope of the invention is defined not by theembodiments described in the following. Further, the embodiments of thepresent invention may be provided for describing in detail the presentinvention to a ordinary person. Accordingly, the shapes of the elementsshown in the drawings may be exaggerated for describing obviously theelements.

FIG. 4 is a side view of a terminal contacting part 400 a according toan embodiment of the present invention. A pad 46 formed of an insulatingresilient material is disposed on a lower end surface of a compressingplate 43 of the terminal contacting part 400 a. In this way, as a lowerend surface of the compressing plate 43 is formed of an insulatingresilient pad 46, even when the pressing unit 42 is formed in a screwedfashion, the compressing plate 42 may press an electrode terminal at auniform pressure, my lessen generation of a resistance between thecompressing plate and the electrode terminal and deterioration of theelectrode terminal, and may further improve a contact between theelectrode terminal and a conductive unit 44.

FIGS. 5 and 6 are a perspective view and an exploded perspective view ofanother embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, the terminal contacting part 400 b includesa main body 400, a pressing unit 420, a lifting unit 430, and aconductive unit 440.

The main body 410 includes a plate-shaped base plate 411, a verticalblock 412 vertically provided on an upper surface of the base plate 411,a horizontal block 413 positioned on and fixed to an upper surface ofthe vertical block 412, and a pair of fixed block 414 installed on oneside of an upper surface of the horizontal block to be disposed side byside at an interval.

The lower conductive unit 441, which will be described later, ispositioned on an upper surface of the base plate 411, and an insert hole417 for guiding the lifting unit 430 is opened in the horizontal block413. A fixed hole 415 is formed in the fixed block 414 so that thepressing unit can be rotably fixed.

Here, the main body 410 is preferably formed on a non-conductivematerial. This is because electricity can be prevented from beinginduced in the terminal connecting part when the conductive unit and theelectrode terminal are electrically connected to each other so thatcurrents can flow therethrough.

The pressing unit 420 includes a lever 421 having a cutaway recess 422formed at one side thereof to have a rod-like shape or a polygonalshape, a pushing unit 425 protruding from the lever, a rotary shaft 424horizontally protruding from opposite side surfaces of the lever 421,and a boss 426 protruding from the rotary shaft and a coupling pin 427.A through-hole 423 horizontally penetrating from a lever surface isformed on a side of the cutaway recess 422.

In the lifting unit 430, a screw 432 is formed at a lower end of arod-shaped or polygonal lifting bar 431, a fixing member 433 is providedat an upper end of the lifting unit 430 by cutting a part of the liftingbar into a form of a plate body, and a through-hole 434 horizontallypenetrating the fixed member 433. A plate-shaped compressing plate 435coupled to the screw 432 through a screw hole 436 is provided at a lowerpart of the lifting bar.

A resilient body 450 configured to resilient support the pressing unit420 with respect to the main body 410 is provided between the horizontalblock of the main body and the lever of the pressing unit. Here, theresilient body 450 may be a coil spring or a plate spring, and may beanything which can resilient support the pressing unit with respect tothe main body.

The lower conductive unit 441 of the conductive unit 440 has aplate-like shape positioned on the base plate, and contacts an electrodeterminal to be described later to flow secondary electricity, and thebase plate may not be used.

In a detailed description of the coupling of a battery fixing part ofthe present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, afterthe vertical block 412 is first positioned on and fixed to an uppersurface of the base plate 411 to form an L-like shape, the horizontalblock 413 is positioned on and fixed to an upper surface of the verticalblock 412. That is, a space 410 a is defined by the base plate 411, thevertical block 412, and the horizontal block 413.

Next, after the compressing plate 435 is located within the space 410 aso that the screw hole 436 faces the upper side, the screw 432 of thelifting bar 431 is vertically inserted into the screw hole 436.

Next, after the lever 421 is located in the fixed block 414 so that thepushing unit 425 faces the upper side, the rotary shaft 424 is insertedinto a fixing hole 415. In this state, the resilient body 450 isinserted between a lower portion of the lever 421 and an upper surfaceof the horizontal block so that they are supported by each other.

In the embodiment of the present invention, the resilient body 450 ispreferably located between the lifting bar 431 and the fixed block 414.Accordingly, the resilient body 450 supports the lever connected to thelifting bar 431 to normally lift the lever with respect to the rotaryshaft 424, and is spaced apart from the compressing plate 435 and thelower conductive unit 441 to the upper side.

Next, after the cutaway recess 422 of the lever 421 is coupled to thefixed member 433 formed at an upper end of the lifting bar 431 and thethrough-hole 424 of the cutaway recess 422 is aligned with thethrough-hole 434 of the fixed member 433, the coupling pin 426 isinserted into and coupled to the through-holes 423 and 434.

The conductive unit 440 is positioned on and fixed to a locationvertically lower than the compressing plate 425 to be located on anupper surface of the base plate 411 so that an electrode terminalpositioned on the conductive unit can be pressed and fixed by a uniformpressing force of the compressing plate.

An insulating resilient pad (not shown) may be further formed at a lowerend surface of the compressing plate 435.

The terminal contacting parts are disposed on opposite sides of theplate shaped-member 20 to which a battery is mounted so that spaces 420a face each other. A step part (22) is formed between the terminalcontacting parts.

The elements other than the conductive unit and the contact means of theterminal connecting part are preferably formed of a non-conductivematerial.

FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate an operation state of the terminal connectingpart according to the embodiment of FIG. 5.

Referring to FIG. 8, a secondary battery 210 is positioned on the top ofthe plate shaped-member 20 so that the electrode terminal can be locatedon a side of the terminal connecting part. Then, since the electrodeterminals 211 on opposite sides of the secondary battery are a positiveelectrode and a negative electrode and it has not been determinedwhether the negative electrode or the positive electrode is disposed atthe terminal connecting parts disposed on opposite sides, the positiveelectrode and the negative electrode may be wired to a recharger 70electrically connected to the contact means.

Then, the electrode terminal 211 is located between the conductive unit440 and the compressing plate 435. Then, the compressing unit isconnected to a pressing bar 421 while being coupled to the lifting bar431 and the pressing bar 421 is supported by the resilient body 450 withrespect to the horizontal block. Accordingly, since the pressing baralways remains spaced apart from a lower conductive body, thecompressing plate should be lowered to locate the electrode terminalbetween the conductive unit and the compressing plate.

In this state, as illustrated in FIG. 7, if a user pressed in adirection of an arrow while pushing the pushing unit 425 of the lever421, an end of the lever 421 pressed with respect to the rotary shaft424 is rotated to the lower side. Then, the resilient body 450 supportedon the lower side is compressed and the compressing plate 435 islowered. The electrode lead of the secondary battery is attached to thecompressing plate 435. If the compressing plate is lowered to becompletely attached, the boss 426 formed in the rotary shaft 424 areengaged with an insert hole 416 formed in the fixing hole 415 inadvance. Then, when the boss 426 enters the insert hole, the boss 416 ispopped out, and the lower conductive unit 441 and the electrode terminalare fixed to each other while contacting each other.

The pushing unit 425 of the pressing bar 421 and the boss 426 of therotary shaft 424 are connected to each other such that if the pushingunit 425 is pushed, the boss 426 is pushed together to be introducedinto the rotary shaft. If the boss protrudes after it is aligned withthe insert hole 418, the pushing unit 425 also protrudes.

Accordingly, by pushing the pushing unit and rotating the pressing bar,the boss is rotated inside the fixing hole 415, and at the moment of theboss being bounded while the boss is fitted to a fitting hole 416 formedalready on the fixing hole 415, the pushing unit is bounded to fix thepressing bar 421. Here, when the boss 426 formed on a rotation axis 424enters into the fitting hole 416 and protrudes, the pressing bar 421 isfixed and thus is not able to be rotated further and the compressingplate 435 is in contact tightly with the electrode lead 211 to be fixed.

The fitting hole 416 formed on the fixing hole 415 may be formed on aproper inner location of the fixing hole such that the pressing bar isfixed to a rotated location for the compressing plate 435 to contact theelectrode lead 211.

Meanwhile, after an charging and discharging or evaluating of thebattery, by pushing downward the pressing bar on which the pushing unitis formed while pushing the pushing unit 425 of the pressing bar 421 inorder to detach the battery, the boss 426 is retracted from the fittinghole 416 and thus the pressing bar can be rotated and further pressingstate of the resilient body supporting the pressing bar is released torotate the pressing bar around a rotating axis and to lift the liftingbar 431 and the compressing plate 435 and thus the compressing plate 435can be spaced from an electrode terminal.

The spaced compressing plate 435 is kept in a state of being spaced at apredetermined interval from the lower conductive unit 441 by upwardlysupporting force from the resilient body 450.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view illustrating a terminal contacting part 400b and a jig according to an embodiment of the present invention. The jigas configured in FIG. 9 is only one embodiment thereof, and the terminalcontacting part may be fixed to every places of the plate-shaped member20 on which a battery is loaded and the terminal contacting part may befixed at various location depending on a battery form.

FIG. 10 is a plain view illustrating a charger and discharger connectedto a jig including a terminal contacting part according to the presentinvention. At this time, a cathode and an anode all of an electrodepoint-contact a charger and discharger 70 connected to a point-contactmeans and thus is conducted selectively depending on a polarity of anelectrode lead.

The charging and discharging device may be used for evaluating amiddle-large secondary battery through which a high current of more than200 A runs.

In a case where the jig including various terminal contacting partsaccording to the present invention is used, an electrode terminal of asecondary battery may be fixed in a constant pressing state and acontacting extent between the electrode terminal and the conductive unitof the terminal contacting part may not be varied depending on a workingcondition of a worker, and thus the electrode terminal may be in contacttightly with the terminal contacting part. Accordingly, a stable andreliable performance evaluation and activation of a secondary battery ispossible and further damage to a secondary battery caused from heatproduced from an electrode terminal can be avoided.

The present invention is not limited to the embodiments as described inthe forgoing and various changes and variations thereof, which will beincluded in a scope of the present invention defined in appended claims,can be made by an ordinary person.

Hereinafter, embodiments will be described in detail.

Embodiment 1

In a jig for charging and discharging, silicon rubber was cut in thesame size as an area of a lower surface of a compressing plate of aterminal contacting part and attached thereto to fabricate a jig forcharging and discharging.

Embodiment 2

The jig for charging and discharging including a terminal contactingpart according to FIG. 5 was fabricated.

Comparison Example

A jig for charging and discharging is the same as Embodiment 1, exceptfor that pressing unit of a terminal contacting part is prepared using ascrew and the compressing plate is made of metal terminal, similar to aprior jig for charging and discharging.

Experimental Example

A lithium secondary battery was charged and discharged using the jig forcharging and discharging according to Embodiments 1 and 2, andExperimental example, and at this time resistance applied to a terminalof the lithium secondary battery was measured and described in Table 1.

At this time, a measuring method of the resistance on the batteryterminal is as the followings.

TABLE 1 Discharging Discharging Charging Charging Discharging ChargingDischarging Charging initial ending initial ending potential potentialresistance resistance voltage (V) voltage (V) voltage (V) voltage (V)difference (V) difference (V) (mΩ) e(mΩ) Embodiment 1 3.785 3.558 3.743.964 0.227 0.224 2.9 2.87 Embodiment 2 3.785 3.558 3.74 3.964 0.2270.224 2.84 2.8 Experimental 3.769 3.264 3.724 4.318 0.505 0.594 6.317.42 example

Measuring Method of Resistance Applied on an Electrode Terminal;

A battery capacity needs first to be measured for measuring a resistanceapplied on an electrode terminal and in the present experiment by usinga constant current/constant voltage way of 1 C-rate, the battery wascharged in 0.05 C-rate and then discharged in 1 C-rate and a dischargingcapacity was used as the battery capacity.

After measuring a battery capacity using the aforementioned way, byusing the constant current/constant voltage way the battery was chargedto SOC100 and discharged to 50% of a capacity to set a battery state asSOC50.

A lithium secondary battery in a state of SOC50 was discharged in 80 Afor 10 sec and was charged for 10 sec and before voltage (Vi) and aftervoltage (Vf) were measured to calculate a resistance using a resistancecalculation formula.Vi−Vf/current  [Resistance calculation formula]

In a case where a lithium secondary battery was charged and dischargedusing the jig for charging and discharging according to the Embodiments1 and 2, and experimental example, resistances applied on an electrodeterminal are indicated in Table 1.

As indicated in Table 1, in a case where a lithium secondary battery ischarged and discharged using the jig for charging and discharging inEmbodiments 1 and 2, the resistance applied on a terminal of a batteryto be charged and discharged is confirmed to be decreased significantly,comparing to a case where a pressing unit is fabricated using a screwand a compressing plate is made of metal material, similar to a priorjig for charging and discharging.

Accordingly, in a case where a jig including the terminal contactingpart according to the present invention is used, an electrode lead of asecondary battery may be pressed uniformly and a contacting extentbetween the electrode terminal and the conductive unit of the terminalcontacting part may not be varied depending on a working condition of aworker, and thus the electrode terminal may be in contact tightly withthe terminal contacting part. Accordingly, a stable and reliableperformance evaluation and activation of a secondary battery is possibleand further damage to a secondary battery caused from heat produced onan electrode tap or lead due to a contact failure can be avoided.

The terminal contacting part included in a jig for charging anddischarging may be used for all jig for charging and discharging asecondary battery, regardless of high and low state of current runningtherethrough, and further may be used for a jig for charging anddischarging through which high current of more than 120-200 A runs inorder to evaluate exactly a battery performance and test a safety.

By a jig for charging and discharging a secondary battery, including aterminal contacting part according to the present invention, anelectrode tap or electrode lead is to be in contact tightly with the jigduring a charging and discharging step of a secondary battery and thusthe electrode lead are in contact on same pressure and weight,regardless of work condition of a worker, and thereby charging anddischarging stably and reliably a secondary battery.

Further, the damage to a secondary battery can be avoided, which iscaused from heat produced on an electrode tap or electrode leas from acontact failure of a secondary battery and a terminal contacting part.

While the invention has been shown and described with reference toexemplary embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled inthe art that various changes in form and details may be made thereinwithout departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as definedby the appended claims. Therefore, the scope of the invention is definednot by the detailed description of the invention but by the appendedclaims, and all differences within the scope will be construed as beingincluded in the present invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A battery fixing part included in a jig forcharging and discharging a secondary battery, comprising: a conductiveunit for contacting an electrode lead of the secondary battery to flowcurrent therein; a pressing unit for pressing the electrode lead for theconductive unit to be in tight contact with the electrode lead of thesecondary battery; and a pair of fixed blocks installed on an uppersurface of a main body and disposed side by side at an interval, whereineach fixed block includes a fixed hole, wherein the pressing unitcomprises a pressing bar for operating the pressing unit, a compressingplate to contact with the electrode lead, and a lifting unit connectingthe pressing bar and the compressing plate, rotation axes protrudingfrom the pressing bar, and the pressing bar is operated for thecompressing plate to descend vertically to be in tight contact with theelectrode lead in all area of the compressing plate with a same pressuresimultaneously, wherein each of the rotation axes is inserted into oneof the fixed holes and is rotatably coupled to the fixed block, whereinthe pressing bar is pivotally rotated around a horizontal rotation axisdisposed on a center of the pressing bar, wherein the lifting unit isconnected to the pressing bar by a pin and is moved in the verticaldirection by pivoting motion of the pressing bar, and wherein thecompressing plate is moved vertically in a direction depending on avertical movement of the lifting unit.
 2. The battery fixing part ofclaim 1, wherein the pressing unit is supported elastically upward by anelastic member.
 3. The battery fixing part of claim 1, which furthercomprises a fixing device for fixing a contacting state of the electrodelead of the secondary battery and the conductive unit, which is formedthrough an operation of the pressing unit.
 4. The battery fixing part ofclaim 1, wherein the battery fixing part comprises a contact-pointdevice for connecting the conductive unit and a charger and discharger.5. The battery fixing part of claim 1, wherein the compressing platecomprises an upper conductive part of metal conductive member at a lowersurface thereof and the upper conductive part is connected to thecontact-point device to be connected to the charger and discharger. 6.The battery fixing part of claim 1, wherein a pressure of 40-60 kgf isapplied on the compressing plate so that the compressing plate descendsvertically to be in contact with the electrode lead through an operationof the pressing bar.
 7. The battery fixing part of claim 1, wherein apressure of 50 kgf is applied on the compressing plate so that thecompressing plate descends vertically to be in contact with theelectrode lead through an operation of the pressing bar.
 8. A jig forevaluating a performance of the secondary battery comprising the batteryfixing part according to claim
 1. 9. A device for charging anddischarging the secondary battery comprising the jig according to claim8.
 10. The device of claim 9, wherein the device is applied to thesecondary battery in which electrode leads are protrude to one directionor to opposite directions.